FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 80. NO. 4 



Table 2.— Measurements (in millimeters) and counts of Erwploteuthis octolineata. HMS =RV Hugh M. Smith; TC = 



RV Townsend Cromwell; + = missing arm tips and lost suckers. 



'Length of left arm. 



Stn. 45, 03°29'N, 144°54'W, 30 October 1969, 50 

 m. 1 female, ML 56 mm, TC-46, Stn. 47, 03°23' 

 N, 145°04'W, 31 October 1969, 115 m. 2 speci- 

 mens, ML 16 and 20 mm, TC-47, Stn. 45, 03°28' 

 N, 144°59'W, 3-4 February 1970, 50 m. 1 speci- 

 men, ML 39 mm, TC-48, Stn. 35, 07°18'N, 144° 

 47'W, 11-12 April 1970, 50 m. 1 female, ML 49 

 mm, TC-48, Stn. 50, 03°29'N, 144°58'W, 17-18 

 April 1970, 50 m. 1 specimen, ML 33 mm, TC- 

 48, Stn. 92, 00°08'N, 145°00'W, 28 April 1970, 50 

 m. 



Description: The mantle (MWI 36.0-.i7. .5-39.1) 

 is cylindrical and tapers gradually toward the 

 end of the blunt tail. Ventrally the anterior edge 

 of the mantle is only slightly excavated and the 

 lateral angles are pointed and low. The anterior 

 dorsal lobe is rounded and also low. 



The fin lengths are more than half of the 

 mantle length (FLI 65.2-f5S.O-70.4) and the com- 

 bined width of both fins is less than the mantle 

 length (FWI 69.6-75.9-76.1). The anterior mar- 

 gins project into rounded lobes near their ante- 

 rior attachments. The lateral angle (about 70°) is 

 rounded and the posterior margin is slightly 

 convex. 



The funnel is large; its length equals its width. 

 The funnel-mantle locking cartilage is simple; 

 its anterior end is slightly narrower and more 



pointed than the rounder posterior end. The fun- 

 nel valve is a wide semilunar flap; its anterior 

 edge reaches the edge of the funnel opening. 



The head (HWI 28.0-30.2-33.8) is narrower 

 than the mantle, almost square in cross section, 

 slightly rounded on the top, and is deeply ex- 

 cavated on its posteroventral surface to form a 

 large funnel groove. The dorsal and ventral 

 ocular "windows" are distinct. The eye opening 

 has a deep sinus (Fig. 3G). Three nuchal folds lie 

 on each side of the head; the closest fold to the 

 funnel bears at its posterior end the tonguelike 

 olfactory papilla. These nuchal folds are united 

 to each other by a narrow posterior membrane, 

 although this membrane does not reach the 

 dorsal midline. 



The buccal membrane is purple and the eight 

 supports are joined by connectives to the arms 

 in the order DDVD. The membrane is pig- 

 mented more heavily than the supports. The 

 lappets are delicately pointed, and the inner sur- 

 face of the buccal funnel is very rugose but lacks 

 papillae. 



The arms are subequal and shorter than the 

 mantle (ALI: I, 60.6-65.2-69.7; II, 57.1-61.8-69.6; 

 III, 55.4-6(5.0-82.6; IV, 59.2-66. 7-72.0). They are 

 nearly square at their bases and taper into fine 

 points. Arms I and II have very low keels; arm I 

 is keeled to about half its length and arm II to 



710 



